Saku Koivu, Ducks work overtime to beat Coyotes and win their 10th straight

Anaheim Ducks center Saku Koivu, top, celebrates his goal with teammate Andrew Cogliano during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Phoenix Coyotes in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Phoenix Coyotes goalie Thomas Greiss, left, blocks a shot by Anaheim Ducks left wing Matt Beleskey during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Saku Koivu won a faceoff in the opening moments of overtime Saturday night at the Honda Center and then drifted into a dangerous patch of ice as Ducks defensemen Ben Lovejoy and Cam Fowler passed the puck between them on the perimeter.

Lovejoy wound up and unleashed a blistering shot on goal that the unmarked Koivu deflected past Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Thomas Greiss for the game-winning goal as a sellout crowd of 17,442 celebrated the Ducks’ 3-2 victory.

The Ducks’ 10th consecutive win had elements of the previous nine, but most of all it featured the sort of resolve that separates good teams from great ones. The Ducks (28-7-5) refused to crack after squandering a two-goal lead in the third period, but charged ahead during overtime.

Koivu’s goal was his second of the game, pushing his career total to 251, and the third produced by his line Saturday. Andrew Cogliano scored what sure looked like the back-breaking goal at 5 minutes, 4 seconds of the third period. Daniel Winnik added two assists.

“Honestly, you try to forget what happened,” the 39-year-old Koivu said. “We had a 2-0 lead (and lost it). It was one of those things where you try to regroup as quickly as you can. You really don’t have a choice. You go right back at it. We got a point, then we went after the second one.”

On a night when the Ducks’ top line of Dustin Penner, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry generated plenty of scoring chances but no goals, the second line of Winnik, Koivu and Cogliano drove a stake through the hearts of the Pacific Division-rival Coyotes (19-10-9).

The Ducks’ combination of resilience and depth were too much for the Coyotes to overcome. Phoenix erased a 2-0 deficit with goals from Martin Hanzal and Mike Ribeiro inside the final five minutes of regulation play. The Ducks regained control in the opening minute of overtime, though.

Koivu’s OT goal was the 10th of his career. He also assisted on Cogliano’s goal.

“I think the number 10 is magic when you get into streaks because it doesn’t happen very often,” Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said before adding a few moments later, “We’ll enjoy it for 10 minutes and then get on the plane.”

Indeed, the Ducks had very little time to celebrate before catching their chartered flight to San Jose for tonight’s game against the Sharks. The Ducks reach the midway point of the regular season tonight, with the first of two games this week against San Jose.

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The Sharks visit the Honda Center on Tuesday.

“San Jose has been awesome all year and these are the teams we’re going to have to beat in the playoffs,” Lovejoy said. “All these Pacific Division teams are so good, we’re going to have to go through all of them. We want to send a message that we’re going to be ready to go in the playoffs.